Floating wharf



Aug. 16, 1932.

r A. $MlTH FLOATING WHARF Filed July 28, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORAUGUSTUS SMITH 771's atiorne s 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. SMITH FLOATING WHARFFiled July 28, 1951 Aug. 16, 1932.

INVENTOR AUGUSTUS SMITH I y his atiorneys A. SMITH FLOATING WHARF Aug.-16- 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 28. 1931 arreusrus SMITH, or Bosnian,NEW JERSEY,

Patented Aug. 16, 1932 uture ASSIGNOR To BERGEN rorur IRON WORKS, 0FBAYONNE, NEW" JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW" JERSEY FLOATING WHARFApplication filed July 28, 1931. Serial No. 553,659.

7 This invention relates to floating structures supported by pontoonsand is an improvement on the construction described and claimed in myPatent 1,723,213 patentedAugust 6, 1929.

Devices of this type are. useful as houseboats, floats, boat houses,docks, marine gas and oil stations and for a variety of other purposes.

It is an object of this invention to provide a floating wharf which isparticularly adapted for use as a marine filling station or boat house.

Another object is to provide a floating wharf particularly adapted forthe above uses and which will be free from the warping or twistingaction to which ordinary rafts are subjected by reason of irregular wavemotion of the water.

Another objectis toprovide a floating wharf which may be constructed atminimum expense commensurate with good quality and sturdiness ofconstruction.

Other objects will be apparent as my invention is described inconnection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings- Figure 1 is a. diagrammatic plan view of myinvention before the roof and decks are .and the apparatus for securingit to the superstructure of the wharf.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3 showingthe connection between the pontoons and superstructure.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation view showing the connection ofthe left pontoon to the superstructure.

My invention employs the geometrical principle that a line and a pointdetermine a plane. Since it is desirable thatthe platform or foundationof any floating structure which is to be used for the purposes for whichI intend my construction, be as nearly as possible in asingle plane atall times, I support my construction upon buoyant devices such as twopontoons which contact with the superstructure along a line and at apoint respectively. Thus there is established a supporting plane which,though subject to tilt ing by waves, frees the superstructure of thewarping and twisting action that ordinary rafts and floats encounter.Each pontoon can pitch and toss independently of the other, and each cantilt the wharfas the plane determined by the line and point is tippeddue to the wave motion. It should be understood that a system ofpontoons or other buoyant devices, may be substituted for the twopontoons which are used in the preferred construction hereinafter moreparticularly described.

Referring tothe drawings, the superstructure of the floating wharf issupported on two parallel cylindrical pontoons 10 and 12 which areconnected to certain I-beams 14: a, Z), c, of a number of such beams(designated generically by numeral 14L) which are parallel to oneanother and arranged transverse to the pontoons in a plane above them.These beams 14 are arranged in two parailel rows and are connected tothe superstructure ofi'the wharf on opposite parallel sides thereof.

'The novel means about to" be described,

which I employ to connect the pontoons with same radius of curvature asthe pontoons, and

a pair of arm's 18 formed integrally with and projectingup fromthesaddle. *These arms have coaxial bores :cast or drilled throughthemparallel to the beams 14; A pair of angle irons 20 are securedto thebottom of the beams 14 a, b, 0' with theirflegsprojecting downwardly inparallelrelation and spaced apart the same distance as the arms 18 sothat the legs lie against the arms 18. Holes registering with bores inthe arms 18 are formed in the legs and a bolt or connecting pin 22 ispassed therethrough thus holding the saddle to the beam. The saddle 16strength to it if desired. 1

The pontoon 12 is secured by the aforesaid saddle connections 16 to twoof the I-beams 14a, 14?) on the right hand side of the superstructure.

Thesaddles, as shown in Fig. 3, are preferably spaced equally from eachother .and from the ends of the pontoon, though they may be spacedotherwise. Although I prefer to secure the pontoon 12 at only two pointsas shown, it will be obvious that this pontoon may be secured to thesuperstructure at any number of points in the line established by saidtwo points, for the reason that, following out the principle of myinvention, this pontoon should support and be connected to thesuperstructure by a number of connections all of which are in a straightline. V

The left pontoon 1-0 has only one saddle connecting it at its middlewith the I-beam 140 at the center of the left side of wharf. With onlythis one connection of the pontoon and superstructure the tendency ofthe pentoon lO to oscillate about a vertical axis would impose too muchstrain on the saddle. Hence, I provide four guy rods 30two of which eachhave their outer ends bolted to a lug, angle iron or like construction.32, se cured to the top of the pontoon 10 between the saddle and one endof the-pontoon while the other two are similarly connected: to thepontoon at a point between the saddle and the other end of the pontoon.

The other ends of the guy rods are connected to the I-beams. 140, bymeans of two pairs of spaced angle irons 32 secured to the under side ofbeam 140, apair being located at each end of'the beam 140. A pin or bolt34 passes through the downwardly extended arms of each pair; 32 andthrough the guide rods connected therewith and this pin. 34 is coaxialwith pin 22. I

The guide rods whose outer ends are con.- nected at one end of thepontoon 1-0. have their inner ends connected respectively betweendifferentpairs of angle irons, i. e., to

opposite ends ofthe Lbeam 140. In like mau ner the guy rods connected atthe other end of the pontoon, have their inner ends connected todifferentends of the I -beam' 14c.

Turn. buckles 36 are incorporated in each guy rod so that a firm tiebetween the-pontoon and beam 14' may be had; It willbe observed thatwith the guy rods under tension depending on thelength of the wharfdesired.

Each truss, as shown in Fig. 2, may consist of a pair of spaced verticalmembers 40, 42 at each side, the; inner members 42 being shorter thanthe outer members 40. A non.-

zontal member 44 connects the inner members 42 at their tops while apairofinclined jointed members 46, serving as roof beams, connect theouter vertical members 40.. Members 40, 42, 44and 46 are suitablyconnected by cross braces 48 the number and position of which maybe'varied to. suitv the particular requirements of use of the wharf.

In case the wharffisto be used as a marine filling station one or moreplatforms within the wharf may be constructed. 7 For this purposecertain or allof the trusses-may be pro,-

vided with verticalmembers 50- suspended from the horizontal member 44and cooperatiing with the vertical members 42, to. support the platform52 which rests on horizontal angle bars 54, 56,. connecting the verticalmembers 42, 50 respectively. Obviously the height and, extentof thisplatform may be varied depending on the size and position of theoiltanks 60-wl ich may be fie ted. beneath the wharf. On the otherhand,the platform may be modified or replaced by some. otherconstruction depending on the use to. which the-wharf isputl I Theseries of trusses A-E are connected to one another by paralleLchannelbeams 62,

64 secured respectively to the tops and hottoms of theverticalmembers40. Diagonal braces. 66 connecting the topand bottom of neighboringvertical members 40 may be provided.v Any suitable roof68 be laid, on

the top. truss members lda- I v The centers of the I-heams 14 areconnected to the bottoms of vertical members 40. and one end of eachI-beam i'sconnected to the bottom vertical member 42 in the same trussas the member-40,to which the middle of that articular I-beam isconnected. deck 70' may be laid on. the: I-beams14 and conventionalguards 72, maybe secured. thereto to protect the wharf when boats comealong side. I

Tn order to make the superstructure more rigid and: to keep thewc ornersof the. wharf from sagging in case ofunegiial. loading, diagonal trusses"F (seeFig. '1) are provided in the upperpart of the'superstructure.these trusses being constructed so as to act as levers supported fromthe central truss C as a fulcrum. The superstructure may be left open atboth ends-or it may be closediat one end leaving the other free foringress and egress of boats, or oil or gas tanks or other floatingcraft. It will be observed that when the superstructure is constructedasdescribed the members 40, 62, 64, 66 (see Figs. 3 and 4) form verticalside trusses over the pontoons and act to transmit the weight from thewharf to the pontoons, the right truss transmitting the wei ht along aline including the-two points of connection with pontoon 12, and theleft truss transmitting the weight through the single connecting pointto pontoon 10. The vertical members 40, of course, are common to theside trusses and trusses AE.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a floatingwharf which may be constructed without excessive cost or diihculty andwhich is not subject to the Warping and twisting stresses of ordinaryfloating structures.

Many modifications within the scope of my invention will occur to thoseskilled in the art therefore I do not limit myself to the specificconstruction shown.

I claim 1. A floating wharf comprising a rigid superstructure, buoyantdevices supporting said superstructure, certain of said devices beingconnected, as a unit, to said superstructure along a straight line onone side, and certain of said devices being connected, as a unit, tosaid superstructure at a point on the other side thereof, and beingrockable vertically.

2. A floating wharf comprising a rigid superstructure open at least oneend to permit ing said superstructure Certain of said devices beingconnected, as a unit, to said superstructure along a straight line onone side, and certain of said devices being connected, as a unit, tosaid superstructure at a point on the other side thereof and beingrockable vertically.

3. A floating wharf comprising a rigid superstructure open at oppositeends to permit ingress and egress, buoyant devices supporting saidsuperstructure certain of said devices being connected, as a unit, tosaid superstructure along a straight line on one side, and certain ofsaid devices being connected, as a unit to said superstructure at apoint on the other side thereof and being rockable vertically. V

4. A floating wharf comprising a rigid superstructure, a pair ofparallel pontoons, one of said pontoons supporting said superstructurealong a straight line at one side of the superstructure, the otherpontoon supporting said superstructure at a point on the other sidethereof, said second pontoon being vertically rockable about said point.

ingress and egress, buoyant devices support 5. A floating wharfcomprising a rigid superstructure open at least at one end to per mitingress, and egress, a pair of parallel pontoons, one of said pontoonssupporting said superstructure along a straight line at one side of thesuperstructure, the other pontoon supporting said superstructure at apoint on the other side thereof, said second pontoon being verticallyrockable about said point.

6. A floating wharf comprising a rigid superstructure open at oppositeends to permit ingress and egress, a pair of parallel pontoons, one ofsaid pontoons supporting said superstucture along a straight line at oneside of the superstructure, the other pontoon supporting saidsuperstructure at a point on the other side thereof, said second pontoonbeing vertically rockable about said point,

- and being rockable vertically.

7. A floating wharf comprising a super? structure, a plurality ofpontoonssupporting said superstructure on a plane defined by a line anda point which are the loci of the connections between said pontoons andsuperstructure, said superstructure comprising a plurality of paralleltrusses having their ends joined and cross-braced to form a rigid whole,said trusses being spaced above the water level whereby a passagethrough the wharf is provided.

8. In a floating wharf, a superstructure comprising a plurality ofparallel trusses, side trusses connecting said parallel trusses, buoyantdevices supporting said superstruc ture by connections with said sidetrusses, certain of said buoyant devices being connected with one ofsaid side trusses along a line, and certain of said buoyant devicesbeing connected with another of said side trusses at that point, wherebysaid superstructure is supr plane defined by said line and porting saidsuperstructure by connections with said side trusses, certain of saidbuoyant devices being connected with one of said side trusses along aline, and certain of said buoyant devices being connected with anotherof said side trusses at a point, whereby said superstructure issupported upon a plane definedby said line and point.

10. In a floating wharf, a superstructure comprising a plurality ofparallel trusses, side trusses connecting said parallel trusses, saidside and parallel trusses having vertical members in common, buoyantdevices supporting said superstructure by connectionswith said sidetrusses,.certain of said buoyant devices being'connected with one ofsaid side trusses along a line, certain of said b-uoyant devices beingconnected with another of said side trusses at a point, wherebysaidsuper structure is supported upon a plane defined by said line andpoint. c

11. A floating wharf having a superstructure comprising a plurality of.parallel trusses, means securing said trusses together at their ends,diagonal trusses acting as levers and" supported from a central truss ofsaid parallel diagonal trusses acting as levers and supported from acentral truss of said parallel trusses as a fulcrum, and buoyant meanssupporting: said superstructure upon a tiltable plane, said parallel anddiagonal trusses having horizontal members spaced sufiiciently above thewater level to provide passage for ingress and egress to and from thewharf.

14:. A floating wharf having a superstructure comprising a plurality ofparallel trusses, side'trusses connecting .said parallel trumes, saidtrusses having vertical members incommon, diagonal trusses joining andsup porting the corners of the wharf, and buoyant means supporting saidsuperstructure upon a tiltable plane.

15. A floating wharf having a superstructure comprising a plurality ofparallel trusses, side trusses connectingsaid parallel trusses, saidtrusses having vertical members in common,-diagonal trusses j oiningandsupporting the corners of the wharf, and buoyant devices supporting saidsuperstructure upon a plane, said plane being defined by connections ofcertainof said buoyant means with one of said side trusses, located in astraight line, and by a point connection between certain of saidbuoyantmeans with another of said side trusses.

16. A floating structure, a cylindrical ponjtoon for supporting saidstructure, connections between said structure and pontoon comprising asaddle having an arcuate seat, said saddle being detachably securedto'said pontoon whereby said pontoon maybe rotated while in supportingposition, and a pivot pin connecting'said saddle with said structure, e

17 A- fioatingstructure, a cylindrical poncomprising a saddle havingarcuate seat, said saddle being detachably secured to said pontoonwhereby said pontoon may be r tated while in supporting position, and apivot pin connecting said saddle with said structure and a plurality ofguide rods connected with said pontoon and pivotally connected with saidstructure, said pivotal connection being coaxial withsaid pivot-pin.

18. A floating structure, a cylindrical pontoon for supporting saidstructure, connections between said pontoon and structure comprising asaddle having an: arcuate seat whose radius of curvature is thesame asthat of the pontoon ,a pair of arms extending from said saddle, a pairof legs depending from said structure and a pivot pin passing throughsaid arms and legs for securing said saddle to said structure, andguyrods-to'relieve the pivot pin. 7

19. A floating structure,-a cylindrical pontoon for supporting saidstructure, connections between said pontoon and structure comprising asaddle having an 'arcuate seat whose radius of curvature is the same asthat of the-pontoon, a pairof arms extending from said saddle, a pair oflegs depending from said structure and a pivot pin passing through saidarms and legs for securing said saddle to said structure, s'aidsaddlebeing detachably secured to said pontoon whereby said pontoon may berotated While in supporting position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. v

AUGUSTUS SMITH.

toon for supporting said structure, connec tions between said structureand pontoon

